Beauty of Our Reality
by caffinate-me
Summary: Johanna Beckett rotated the medallion running a finger over the intricate carvings. Legend said that it was the portal to an alternate dimension. It would transport the holder to a reality where their biggest regrets had never happened, where their dreams came true. Then the room glowed white. Based on a Tumblr Prompt from rtsd9fan.
1. Chapter 1

Beauty of Our Reality

 _"Let us live for the beauty of our own reality." - Charles Lamb_

* * *

Johanna Beckett collapsed back in her chair. Long wasn't a good enough word to describe her day which had revolved around the estate war between the greedy daughter and son of a former antiquities horder.

Johanna stared at the ancient medallion in her hands— the fulcrum of the feud. It was beautiful, haunting. One of the good things about estate law- well, pretty much the only good thing about estate law- was all the relics she came across during disputes. The downside being that all of this could have been avoided with an updated will.

Speaking of, she needed to remind her own daughter to finish her will. Katie would scoff. Johanna could already hear the _I'm not even 40 yet, Mom._

She rotated the medallion again, running a finger over the intricate carvings, studying it. Legend said that it was the portal to an alternate dimension. It would transport the holder to a reality where their biggest regrets had never happened, where their dreams came true.

Johanna chuckled, grateful there was no one else in the office at the late hour to hear her. She weighed the artifact in her palm. She had a good life- a great husband, a fantastic daughter, a job she liked. Liked. But she did miss that passion, the fire that came with defense law. She had made the choice almost twenty years before to leave defense for the civil sector.

The prompting case had been a hard one, one that could make a lawyer, send shockwaves through the system, but it had gotten big, rattled cages. A couple of thinly veiled death threats, an earth shattering fight with her husband, and an unyielding hug from her stoic teenage daughter later, Johanna had walked away.

Johanna sighed. What if she hadn't relented? How would life be different then?

Her palm tightened around the medallion and the room vanished in a flash of white.

* * *

Johanna woke on the floor of a vacant office, the ceiling spinning above her and a steel drum band thumping in her temple. The Medallion lay on her chest.

"Hello?"

Only silence answered. Her eyes roamed the empty space where her desk and furniture usually were, landing on the window where morning light was streaming through.

"What the…?"

She pushed herself to her feet, dusting her skirt off with one hand, the other clutching at the artifact.

"Now, if you come right this way, Mr.… Who the hell are you?"

Johanna froze when the French doors swung open, and Celia Wade, the representative from the building's real estate office waltzed in.

"I…" Johanna stuttered, her gaze landing on the man trailing behind the agent. "You're Richard Castle!"

Castle's wide eyes scanned her from her head to her feet. His jaw worked silently when his gaze landed on the gold medallion in her hand.

"Yes, yes I am," he answered before turning an apologetic look toward Celia. "I am so sorry for the surprise, Ms. Wade, this is Johanna Beckett my… mother-in-law. I asked her to come help me out, act like a surprised fan or client, see how it worked in the space. And I have to say it is just perfect for my PI office. I'll take it." He clapped his hands in front of him, making a show of his enthusiasm. "If you wouldn't mind starting on the paperwork right now I'd love to move in today, and I'll be paying in cash."

"Oh? Of course!" Celia beamed. Johanna could see the money signs dancing behind her eyes. Commission was commission no matter what dimension.

What dimension…

"Hi."

Johanna snapped back to the moment at the soft greeting.

"Hi," she replied, at a loss. "Do we know each other? I mean, I know you, you're Richard Castle, and you know my name but we've never met at least not that I know of…"

Castle chuckled, his hand cupping her shoulder before falling to take the artifact from her fingers. "No, technically we've never met, but I know you, and I definitely know this. I had an encounter with it myself and traveled to a different reality where I had never met my wife."

"A different reality?"

His eyebrows danced with amusement in response to her raised one. "You're a lot like her, you know. Or I should say she's a lot like you."

"Who is?"

He softened with his reply. "Kate, my wife."

* * *

Johanna stared at the man beside her. Papers had been signed, keys handed over and now they were walking the streets of Manhattan like it was just another day in the city.

"This isn't my world, is it?" The words came tumbling off her lips before she could stop them.

But instead of commenting he shook his head. His sigh was audible over the hustle and bustle surrounding them. "No. What were you thinking about before you woke up here?"

Johanna paused before answering. "I was thinking about a case from a long time ago, one I walked away from."

"Joe Pulgatti."

Johanna's head snapped around to stare at the writer. "How did you know?"

"Because in this reality, you didn't walk away."

"And?" Johanna bounced onto the balls of her feet. Wonder bubbled up inside her. "Did I find out who did it? Did Pulgatti go free?"

A sad smile graced Castle's lips and he jerked his head, nodding toward the building to their left. "Come on, let's go inside."

Johanna let out a low whistle when the door to the loft swung open and she moved into the room with a slow circle. "You live here? This is yours? And Katie's?"

Castle hummed out an affirmative before moving to the kitchen and busying himself with the coffee maker.

"How did you two meet? Will she be home soon?"

"We met at work."

"Work? Are you a supporter of Senator Bracken's campaign?"

Castle's entire body turned rigid and he turned to face her, his expression making her insides turn to ice. "What exactly does Beckett- Kate- do in your reality?"

Johanna shrugged, slipping onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen counter. "She's a lawyer and a political consultant for Senator Bracken's presidential campaign."

Castle was still staring at her when she finished her explanation, only blinking when the coffee maker let off a beep, alerting them the pot was full. "So, no one ever figured it out- what Bracken did?"

Johanna frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Mrs. Beckett… Johanna."

"Jo, Mr. Castle. Please call me Jo."

"Okay." He gave her a small smile. "Rick then. Jo, Kate isn't a lawyer here. She isn't in politics. Kate became a cop. A detective now, actually."

"A cop?" Johanna's frown deepened. "But that's not Katie. She went to Stanford for law."

"I know." Castle placated, his warm palm covering her now trembling hands. "You see, here you took Pulgatti's case and because of that you found out something, something big involving very powerful people including William Bracken. But before you could do anything about it they had you and three other people you worked with killed."

Johanna's gasp echoed through the loft, one hand slipping out from under Castle's to cover her mouth. "Jim? Katie?"

Castle nodded silently, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes. "Kate was nineteen at the time. She dropped out of Stanford and enrolled back here at NYU, changed her major to criminal justice. Jim didn't take it well but he's okay now. And Kate fell into her quest for justice. She's… relentless. Extraordinary."

"But they're okay?"

"They're okay."

"And Bracken? Did they get him?"

"Yeah." A proud smile spread across Castle's lips. "Kate finally got him, a little less than a year ago, with your help."

"Me?"

"You hid a tape with pretty damning evidence inside the parade of elephants. She found it— the final piece."

Castle's phone pinged from its place on the counter. "Kate's on her way. You should wait in the office while I explain. I don't think she really believed me when I told her about my experience with the medallion."

Johanna huffed out a laugh. "My daughter the skeptic? I'd imagine she didn't."

Castle laughed, leading her across the living room. "Good to know some things never change."

"You love her, Mr. Castle?"

Castle's eyes softened. "More than life itself."

A key jingled in the lock and Castle held up a finger, signaling to her to wait, before exiting the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Hey, Castle. What's going on? Your text said it was urgent. You didn't try to put a slip-n-slide in the living room again, did you? Mrs. Murray just finished getting her ceiling replaced from last time."

Johanna had to bite back a laugh, even while a sob clogged her throat at the thought that the she in this reality never got to see this happy, vibrant woman her daughter had become.

"Hey! That was a one-time thing. You said you weren't going to bring it up again!"

"Right. I'm sorry. Now, what's up?"

"Well, you remember that ancient medallion I found during that case right before we got married? The one that transported me to the alternate universe?"

Kate moved across the living room to where Castle stood by the kitchen island, her hands rising to cup her husband's face even as she let out a snort. "Really, babe? We're in the middle of a case, Espo was tracking down a lead that could crack this thing wide open, and you want to talk about alternate universes?"

"Hey now, you love science fiction just as much as the next person, Ms. I Dress Up in Cosplay."

"Yes, _fiction_ being the operative word in that sentence."

"Well, Skepticus Maximus, something else happened today that I thought you should know about."

"What, did you find an alien? Did Boba come to life and threaten to shoot you with his laser blaster?"

"No," Johanna spoke up, stepping out of the office with a deep breath. "I showed up."

Only the ticking of the clock filled the room when Kate Beckett inched around. Wide eyes locked with the nearly identical pair across the room.

"Mommy?"

"Hi, baby."

The torrent of emotion pouring from her daughter hit Johanna like a wave, and before she could take a step, Kate had sprinted across the room, her arms wrapping around Johanna's neck, clutching her like a lifeline, sobbing in her ear.

"It's okay. It's okay," Johanna shushed, rubbing one hand down Kate's back, the other holding her close.

"Mom." Kate whispered between choked sobs.

"I love you, Katie." Johanna felt the medallion in her pocket growing warm, and she shut her eyes, taking in every second she could. "I have to go, sweetheart."

"No! No… mom, please."

"Rick will tell you everything, but I love you. Remember that, and know I'm proud of you. For everything. I love you so much, my baby girl."

"No! Mom, stay. Please!"

Kate's pleas echoed when the room grew white, and with a flash of light Johanna felt herself being thrown backward.

* * *

Johanna Beckett awoke with a start, her head cradled in her arms. The line of elephants parading across her desk stared back at her.

Shaking herself out of her daze she scrambled for the keyboard of her computer, typed Joe Pulgatti's name into the search engine. She needed to make this right. She owed it to herself, to Kate. She couldn't let her daughter unknowingly work for the devil.

Her phone pinged, a message from Kate.

 _Dinner tonight?_

The corner of the newspaper caught her eye, the Arts & Literature section, and a slow smile spread across Johanna's lips. She would get justice, but first there was something else she needed to do.

 _How would you feel about accompanying me to a book signing instead?_

* * *

 _A/N: Hope you all enjoyed! Based on the prompt from Tumblr:_ What if a Johanna from an alternate dimension got a hold of the artifact and appeared into "our" Castle world? She's in shock over Kate being a cop and with Castle.

Thank you to Jenny & Kate Christie for the edits, and to KC for the slip-n-slide. :P


	2. Chapter 2

Beauty of Our Reality

Chapter 2

"What are we even doing here?"

Johanna Beckett wound her arm through Kate's, pulling her into her side. "We are here to listen to a reading and possibly get a book signed."

Kate sighed and pulled her phone from her pocket, flicking her thumb across the screen to bring up her email. Johanna reached over and snatched the device from her daughter's fingers in one fluid motion.

"Hey! I was reading that."

"Yes, well, you can read it in the morning during normal person working hours. Right now I don't want to spend time with Katherine Beckett, Presidential Hopeful Bracken's top political consultant. I want to spend the evening with my daughter, Katie, who used to enjoy reading literature, in the form of actual paper books, more than emails."

"Mom," Kate chastised. "My job is important."

"Yes, and so is this."

"No offense. I know you love his books, but Richard Castle has been far from important lately."

Johanna sighed, Kate's phone still clutched in her hand. "Maybe, but I was actually referring to spending time with my only daughter. Besides, he may surprise you."

"Right." Kate grumbled when Johanna tugged her down into a seat at the back of the audience.

Johanna watched her daughter's twitching fingers, how she patted her pocket only to deflate when she didn't find her phone there. Kate's eyes flitted to Johanna's purse, which Jo had placed on the floor at her feet. "Don't even think about it, young lady."

Kate let out a low growl under her breath but didn't make a move for her phone, settling instead for flipping over the book in her hands. "So what is the playboy author of the month writing these days."

"First of all, you shouldn't believe everything you read on page six. And to answer your question he's been writing a series about a certain British secret agent but I've heard he's been working on something more serious lately."

"Bond. Not bad," Kate replied, scanning the paragraph on the back of the novel. Before she could comment further a blonde woman who had skipped one too many meals in Johanna's opinion took to the podium.

"... And now, without further ado, here he is, the Master of the Macabre, Rick Castle."

Jo and Kate applauded while many other members of the female-dominated audience tittered, hooted, and whistled. Looking at each other they shared an eye roll and Jo laughed, wrapping one arm around her daughter. Part of her was still having a hard time grasping the idea that her serious, driven child could possibly fall for this renowned playboy author full of boyish charm. Fall into bed she wouldn't doubt, not that she need to know that much about Kate's personal life, but marry? Well, Katie had dated for less, at least in her youth.

Jo's gaze followed the man while he waltzed up to the lectern, winking and waving to random flustered women he passed. Kate groaned out an "oh dear lord" and Johanna's elbow jutted out, connecting gently with her side on reflex.

"Come on, Katie," Johanna prompted once everyone was getting up from their seats mingling with other fans, and attempting to talk to the author himself. The reading had passed with only one woman fainting and Kate's eyes nearly rolling out of her head at the sight. "I want to get my book signed."

"Mom, can't I just wait back here?"

"Katherine, I am not navigating that crowd alone, they'll eat me alive. You're feisty, and I know you're dying to punch at least one of these women in the nose."

"Well, that's true."

"Good, now come on."

Johanna forced the smile to stay off her face when Kate fell in pace behind her. She wove through the milling fans to where the Castle was in the back, sipping from a bottle of water and talking with a young redhead.

"Just once it would be nice to meet someone real, you know?"

"I know the feeling, pumpkin. Just hang in there. It's college," Castle replied to the young woman. "My proudest memory from junior year was being able to bong five beers in a row."

"Dad…"

Johanna paused, unwilling to interrupt the familial conversation.

"Yes, yes, I know. My point is just that college boys are not that mature."

"That's what you said about high school boys too. When do they finally grow up?"

"Never." Kate's quiet retort cut through a lull in the conversations around them and both Castles turned to look at them. "I, uh, sorry." Kate continued to stumble, pink climbing from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears.

"Um, hi," Castle replied while his daughter snickered behind him.

"Hi, Mr. Castle," Jo cut in. "Sorry to interrupt, we didn't mean to eavesdrop. I just wanted to say hi. I've been a fan of your books for a long time and I was just wondering if you would be willing to sign one for me?"

"Of course!" Castle replied with an easy smile, before holding out his hand for her to shake. "It's always a pleasure to meet a fan. Especially one as beautiful as yourself."

Johanna could feel a blush that rivaled her daughter's flood her cheeks. "You're laying it on a bit thick, Mr. Castle."

"Rick, please." Castle replied, letting go of her hand to take her book. It was uncanny, how closely he resembled the Castle from the other universe, of course that was to be expected, but Johanna could see the differences, subtle as they were. A sadness in his eyes, a fakeness in his smile. "And you are?"

"Johanna Beckett," Jo replied before reaching over, pulling Kate to her side. "And this is my daughter."

Castle's attention turned to Kate and the transformation was instantaneous. "Hi, uh…"

"Kate," Kate supplied. "Mr. Castle."

"Rick. Hi. Kate, call me please."

"Excuse me?"

Castle shook his head and the redhead's fingers came up to press over her own lips. "Sorry. Hi, Kate. Please call me, Rick. It's nice to meet you."

Kate awarded him a half smile.

Johanna watched the exchange with interest. The writer's eyes trailed her daughter's every movement with a mixture of intrigue and awe. Castle reached out for Kate's copy of the book, pen posed, but she only clutch the novel tighter to her chest, waving him off. Before either could win battle Kate's ringtone blared from Johanna's purse.

"I believe this belongs to you," Johanna acquiesced on a sigh, placing the phone in Kate's waiting hand.

"She's attached to that thing. I swear, it's like parenting a teenager all over again," Jo explained to the pair as Kate escaped to a quiet corner, the phone pressed to her ear.

"Boyfriend?" Castle asked, his eyes never leaving Kate, only to be chided with a quiet "dad" from his daughter.

"Ha!" Johanna responded. "I wish. That girl is married to her work."

"Which is?" Castle asked, dragging his attention away from Kate.

Johanna smiled. Apparently some things were universal. "She works for Senator Bracken's campaign. Political consultant."

"Really?"

"Really."

His next question was interrupted when Kate hurried back up to them. "Mom, I'm sorry, but I've got to go. Work emergency."

"Katherine, it's nine o'clock at night."

"I know. I know. Lecture me later. Love you." She leaned in to give Johanna a brief hug before turning to wave at their two new acquaintances. "It was nice to meet you both, Mr. Castle and…"

"Alexis," the redhead supplied.

"Alexis."

"Wait!" Castle called out when Kate turned toward the exit. "Can I get your phone number, call you sometime?"

"I, uh, I don't think so." And with an apologetic smile Kate was out the door.

"You know," Johanna piped up after a beat of silence. "I hear the campaign is always looking for volunteers."

* * *

-/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-

* * *

"Kate, slow down."

Kate ignored her husband's gentle command and climbed the ladder to reach the box on the top shelf of The Twelfth Precinct's evidence locker. "It's my mom, Castle. She was here. That thing worked. I need this, I need to see her, to talk to her."

Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision but she tugged the box off the shelf. Her knees gave out when it came free but before she could topple backward a strong hand wrapped around her waist, anchoring her.

She had been a mess since her mother had shown up. By the time Castle had coaxed her into the shower, the image staring back at her from the bathroom mirror had been a patchwork mask of red skin and black mascara. Part of her had always thought if she could see her mother again, get the chance to talk to her, she would be able to get closure and move on. She had been wrong. And Castle… Castle had just held her while she sobbed. But now… Now she had a plan.

"Okay, okay," he soothed. His free arm bent under the box, shouldering it so he could guide her as she wobbled down the steps on jelly knees. The wonderful man. "But there's no guarantee this will work. You could end up someplace completely different. There are an infinite number of realities out there."

"I have to try, Castle. It's my mom." Her voice cracked on the final syllable.

"I know." He replied with a nod, already shimmying the lid off the cardboard box. It was pure luck that the artifact was still there. It was evidence until the court case was concluded and then it would be shipped to a museum, or a government warehouse if her conspiracy theory loving husband was correct.

 _Warehouse 13 is a sci-fi show, babe. It has no basis in reality._

 _That's what they want you to think._

"Here you go," he murmured, holding the plastic bag that housed the ancient Incan medallion out to her. "Remember, be careful. You'll arrive in that reality in the same spot you left here."

Kate's hand shook as she gripped the bag. "Okay. How do I get back?"

"I don't know. For me it was when I did what I needed to do. When I saved you and realized that we're better together than apart."

Her eyes lifted to meet his, love and worrying staring back at her. "I love you."

"I know." He spared her a soft smile. "Now let's get out of here. Sneaking out of Evidence will be a lot easier in an universe where you're actually a cop."

Without a word Kate shoved the medallion into the front of her pants, hiding the bulge under her black sweatshirt while Castle returned the box to its place on the shelf. Once she was situated Castle grabbed her hand and together they walked out of the precinct. None of the uniforms spared them a second glance.

* * *

-/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-

* * *

Johanna tapped at her keyboard, pulling up news articles, copying and pasting notes one by one into a spreadsheet. It would be slow going, building a case against Bracken. If she waltzed straight into in the prison to talk to Joe Pulgatti, some one would be sure to take notice. Instead she had spent a significant portion of her morning researching.

Doubt niggled at her gut. At the surface, Bracken was so clean he squeaked. His progressive environmental policy recommendations had been the talk of D.C. for the last couple of years. He appeared the quintessential family man. He had even waved a rainbow flag down 5th Avenue in the previous year's Pride parade. Johanna leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes. Her thoughts cut to the Incan medallion nestled in the office's hidden wall safe. She pushed herself out of her chair to wander over and pull it out. Maybe her universe was different. Maybe Bracken was innocent there.

She flipped the disc over in her hands, being sure to only grip it with a cloth. With a sigh she placed it on the desk in front of her and reached to check her phone instead. The screen lit up with a missed call and voicemail along with the list of Facebook notifications including another homemade cat video from Jim's sister, Theresa. Somedays she regretted gifting that woman a computer.

" _Mom. He's here."_

Johanna's hand came up to press the laugh back into her mouth at the sound of her daughter's panicked whisper.

" _That author, Castle. He just showed up at the campaign office this morning, said he wanted to volunteer. He's been following me around all day. The man is deranged. He keeps talking about research and a new character. What the hell, mom? Did you tell him where I work? Call me back. Now."_

With one final chuckle, Jo schooled her features and pressed redial. Before the call could connect a bright white light flashed through the room and then everything went black.

* * *

A/N: Continued by popular demand. Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement. I hope you all continue to enjoy this story. Thank you also to Kate Christie for the DiscoBeta, you're as shiny as your sequinned mini-dress.

Xx

Twitter: aspen_musing

Tumblr: aspenmusing


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